When you come upon a new technique, product, story approach, design challenge or just SOMETHING that gets you excited, you often find that the the creating comes easier and faster. You start using this new “cool thing” again and again because it results in great looking pages, treasured stories recorded, or just more joy in the work. Find out what “cool thing” has Christy Stricker excited to create currently.

Christy’s cool thing right now is crafting with everyday materials

Christy Strickler began using everyday materials out of necessity: living in an area where it’s difficult to get scrapbook supplies and being on a budget inspired her to start searching for alternatives.

Christy says, “”For a long time, I thought I could only use acid-free materials specified for scrapbooking, and I felt like much of my work didn’t reflect my personality.”

“Using everyday materials allowed me to find my creative voice — and develop it. My son also helped to open my eyes to the possibilities. He was a little more willing to experiment with the materials in the hardware store than I was in the beginning. Once I became more open-minded, I too saw a treasure trove of embellishments in everyday things. After that, anything that was relatively flat and could be glued down became fair game.”

Everyday materials add texture

“Batman” records her family’s favorite movie of 2012, and Christy used electrical tape to make a base like the texture of of Batman’s suit.

Christy says, “The unique textures, colors and patterns of everyday item, let me tell a story with more impact. Memory keeping is more than just telling the story for me. It’s also about finding ways to stimulate memories with all the senses — including the tactile.”

Everyday materials good for crafting are everywhere

Christy says, “I keep my eyes open for new supplies wherever I go. It doesn’t matter if it’s a party supply store or the supermarket. Materials are everywhere. Sometimes I have specific textures in mind. I ask myself how an item can benefit my storytelling. Does it remind me of something? Can I alter it? Can it be used as a mask or stencil for my mists? Would it be a good substitute for something I have seen in recent scrapbook trends?

Some of Christy’s favorite finds have included packages of dish towels, toothpicks with cocktail flags, flyswatters which were used as masks, and tissue boxes. “I also love little paper bags. They can be used like envelopes to hold journal tags or small embellishments, as on this page which records a rare moment in which our cat was cuddling with my son.”

Recycle and re-purpose

To create a kooky feel for a a fun photo of her son wearing wax lips, Christy inked and stamped masking tape, used cat food can lids, and dribbled melted crayons across the layout. Ripped cardboard also helped to provide a little extra texture.

Christy says, “I love to recycle and re-purpose. The more I use everyday materials, the easier it becomes to substitute them for standard scrapbook supplies. I use their texture, shape and dimension the same way I would use a piece of chipboard or a button. A great supply has color and texture they support my photos and the story I want to tell.”

Christy Strickler

Christy is a wife and homeschool mom with an obsession for scrapbooking. Originally from Central Florida, she currently resides in Nassau, Bahamas with her husband and son. They share their home with 2 quirky cats and a little dog.

Christy has been scrapbooking since 2001. It started as a means to store family photos but has evolved into a creative outlet from which she tells her family’s stories. When she is not scrapbooking, you can often find her playing video games. She is currently part of the creative staff for Scrapbook News and Review Magazine. You can learn more about her at her blog, My Scrapbook Evolution.

I was so please to see your ideas. I am fairly new to scrapping and when I first started I thought I could use anything, wall paper scraps, hessian, anything but was told NO – you MUST use acid free paper. This makes it so limiting (and expensive). Now, inspired by you, I will try again to add more texture and interest with everyday items :)